Controlling device for condensers



July30, 1940.. F B D Y, E 2,209,391"

' CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR CONDENSERS Filed Aug. 29, 1939 Hi5 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR oonb inslnitsf Frank B. Doyle, Phillipsburg, N. J., assignor to Ingersoll-Raml Company, 'Jersey City,-N. J.-, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 29, 1939, Serial No. 292,409 9 9 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for processing organic material and, more particularly, it relates to a device for controlling the operation of such apparatus by regulating the circulation of the cooling water.

In an apparatus of this type, which is used to subject a material such as tobacco to a vacuum as a part of a process, steam evacuators which discharge to condensers are employed to reduce m the pressure in the chamber wherein the material is-processed. Since the pressures in the condensers fluctuate, due to fluctuations of pressure throughout the apparatus, the flow of cooling wa- --;ter through the condensers must be controlled. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide means to regulate the flow of cooling water through the condensers employed in a processing apparatus.

Another object is to provide in a processing apparatus means to maintain a head on the cooling water circulating pump corresponding to the head capacity characteristics of the pump.

It is another object to provide means whereby thecooling water may be circulated through two 85' or'more condensers serially at the most economical rate.

A still further object is to provide an organic material processing apparatus which is cheap,

durable, simple in construction and operation, and economical to operate.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the fiow of cooling water in organic material processing apparatus is independent of the pressures present in such apparatus at any one instance.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description of which the drawing forms a part.

The apparatus comprises a processing chamber I in which is placed the material which is to be processed. In the drawing this is shown as the hogshead 3 containing tobacco. At the top of the processing chamber is a port 5 communieating with the steam evacuator 1. Steam is supplied to the nozzle 9 of the evacuator through the conduit l and discharges through the nozzle I3. The discharge from the evacuator I enters the barometric condenser l5 through the short conduit IT. A blast gate I9 is interposed between the conduit l1 and the nozzle l3 and permits interruption of the communication between the evacuator 1 and the condenser l5.

The condenser l5 comprises a cylindrical shell 2| closedat the bottom thereof by a head 23 and,

' atthe top, by a head 25. The head 25 is formed with an' outlet pipe 21 provided with a flange 29 in order that the flange 3| of the steam evacuator 33 may be secured thereto. Steam is supplied to the evacuator 33 through the pipe 35 and the discharge end of the evacuator is joined to the conduit 3'! leading to the water cooled tubular condenser 39. Y

The condenser 39 is of well known construction and comprises a shell 4| closed at either end by the water boxes 43 and 45. Between the water 1'0" box 43 and the shell 4| is a tube sheet 41 to support the water tubes 49. At the opposite end of the condenser the tubes are supported by the tube sheet 5|. Opening into the upper portion of the tube shell 4| is a conduit 53 leading to 13" another evacuator 44 which withdraws uncondensable matter from the condenser 39 and discharges it to a sump or other appropriate place.

The cooling water system for these condensers consists of a cooling tower 51 which is diagrammatically shown in the drawing and water is led to the condenser I5 through p'ipe'59. Inter-posed between the condenser l5 and the conduit 59 is a pressure actuated regulating valve 6| which consists of a valve casing 63 provided with a 23 valve seat 65'to co-act with the valve properlil. The valve properlil has astem 69 extending through a partition 1 l provided in the valve casing 63 and is terminated by a head 13. Between ,1 the head 13 and the partition 1| is a spring 15 all normally urging the valve 61 away from its seat 65.

The upper end of the casing 63 is closed by the head 11. Between the head 11 and the casing s3 is placed a diaphragm 19 resting against the at head 13. Fluid under pressure is supplied to the chamber 8| formed between'the head 11 and the diaphragm 19 by the conduit 82. Conduit82 leads to a, piston chamber 83 in which is mounted the piston 85 provided with a piston rod 81 extending through one wall of the piston chamber 83, The outer end of the piston rod 81 has pivotally secured thereto a lever 89 which is fastened by a square pin 9|, or by any other suitable method, to the float lever 93 extending within 4B" the condenser l5.

The float lever 93 has a float 95 which is designed to move in accordance with the changes of the level of the cooling water within the condenser l5. When the float 95'rises, it pivots lever 60' 89 in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby moving piston 85 to the left and compressing the fluid in the chamber 83 which increases the pressure in chamber 8|. The increase of pressure ondiaphragm 19 will depress the valve 65 and tend 55 I to close it, thereby shutting ofi the flow of water from the cooling tower 51 The water that flows through the valve 6| enters a well 91, formed by the cylindrical wall 99, supported by the flange IIII in the condenser I5. When this well overflows, the water drops and strikes the bafile I03 within the condenser which spreads the water and allows it to fall down the sides of the condenser I5. The water thus introduced into the condenser I5 collects in the bottom of the condenser and is removed therefrom by the conduit I05 secured to the condenser head 23. The conduit I05 leads to the circulating water pump I01 and the water is removed from the pump by the conduit I09 conneoted with the water box 43' of the condenser 39. Interposed in the conduit I09 is a second pres sure responsive regulating :valve III, having a valve proper H2 similar to valve 61. The other parts of the valve III are identical to those of valve BI and, accordingly, the same reference numerals have been applied to the same parts.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to the chamber I I3 which corresponds to chamber SI of valve BI by the tube I I5 leading from the piston chamber H1. The piston chamber III also has a piston 85, a piston rod 81 and is pivotally connected to the lever 89. When the float 95 rises, the lever 89 moves in a counter-clockwise direction, aswas explained previously, which will move the piston in chamber II! to the right as contrasted to the piston 85 in chamber 83 which moves to the left. Naturally, this reduces the'pressure on the fluid in the piston chamber III and, also, in the chamber II3 thus enabling the spring 69 of valve I I I to move the valve I I2 away from its seat and open the valve. Upon a drop in level of the cooling waterin condenser I5, the opposite action occurs and valve 51, being under reduced pressure, tends to open and the valve II2 tends to,

close. In order to complete the water circulating system, a pipe H9 leads from the outlet water box 45 of the condenser 39 to the cooling tower 51. Any water which is condensed in the condenser 39 is removed therefrom by the pipe I2I provided with a U -trap I23 and communicating with the conduit I05. Thus, the condensed water is added to the cooling water.

In the operation of the apparatus the evacuator 44 is first started and this evacuator, acting through evacuator 3-3 which acts as a conduit, will reduce the pressure in condenser I5 and also, through the evacuator I which actsas a conduit, the pressure in the treating chamber I will be reduced. When the evacuator M has reduced the pressure in the treating chamber I tothe economical limit of its capacity, the evacuator 33 is started and this evacuator will reduce the pressure in chamber I to its economical limit, then evacuator I is started and the pressure in chamber I is reduced to-the desired value. With this mode of operation in mind it is apparent that the pressure in condenser I5 will vary to a certain extent, depending upon the evacuators which are in operation. As a result, the level of the cooling water collected at the bottom of the condenser I5 will also vary and it is important to prevent the level in the condenser from falling to such a low point that the head on pump III! is lost, or 'to allow the level to rise to' such a point that the cooling water may flow through the evacuator 1 into the processing chamber I.

It is to overcome these diffi'culties that the present invention is employed. Thus, when the .pressure in condenser I5 increases to such an extent that the level of the cooling water therein is lowered, the regulating valve I I2 is moved toward the closed position so that the water removed from the condenser by the pump is decreased and, at the same time, the valve 61 is opened wide to permit as much water as possible to flow into the condenser I5 and, thus, bring the level of the cooling water therein back to its normal desired range. On the other hand, if the pressure in chamber I5 is so greatly reduced that the level begins to rise, the float also rises and, by means of the mechanism described, will close valve 51 and open valve II2 thus stopping the entrance of water to the condenser and permitting the piunp to remove the water as rapidly as possible so that the level will again fall.

I claim:

1. In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having evacuators to. reducethe pressure in a processing chamber comprising a condenser for each evacuator. arranged to receive cooling water in series and one of the condensers being a direct contact condenser, a pump to circulate the cooling water, separate means to regulate the quantity of cooling water flowing to each condenser, a pneumatic device to control the last said means, and means to actuate the pneumatic device in accordance with variations in the level of cooling water in the direct contact condenser andthereby controlthe quantity of cooling water flowing to each condenser.

' 2..In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having evacuators to reduce the pressure in a processing chamber comprising a condenser for each evacuator arranged to receive coolingwater in series andone of the condensers being a direct contact condenser, a pump, a cooling tower, conduits connecting the condensers, pump and cooling tower in series arrangement, valves in each conduit supplying cooling water to a condenser, a float in the direct contact condenser movable in accordance with variations of level of the cooling water in the direct contact condenser, a pneumatic device connecting the valves, and a pair of pistons in the pneumatic device actuated by movements of the float to regulate opening and closing of said valves.

3. In a cooling water control mechanism for an-organic material processing apparatus having.

evacuators to reduce the pressure in a processing chamber comprising a condenser for each evacuator'arranged to receive cooling water in series and one of the condensers being a direct contact condenser, a pump forcirculating the cooling water, means to cool the cooling water, means to conduct cooling water from the last named means to one of said condensers and the pump and from the pump to the other condenser, means in theconducting means to control the flow of water to each condenser, and means to regulate the last said means in accordance with variations of the water level in the direct contact condenser to control-the flow of cooling water and maintain a constant head on the pump.

I. In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having evacuators to'reduce-the pressure in a processing chamber comprisinga separate condenser for each evacuator arranged to receive cooling water in series and one of the condensers being a direct contact condenser, a pump, conduits to convey cooling water to the'conde'nsers and pumpin series, fluid pressure responsive valves to control the flow of cooling Water to each condenser, means to supply fluid under pressure to said valves, and float means associated with the direct contact condenser to control the last said means in accordance with variations in level of the cooling water in the direct contact condenser.

5. In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having evacuators to reduce the pressure in a processing chamber comprising a separate condenser for each evacuator arranged to receive cooling Water in series and one of the condensers being a'direct contact condenser, a pump, conduits to convey cooling water to the condensers and pump, fluid pressure actuated valves to control the flow of cooling water to each condenser, fluid conduits to supply fluid to said valves, a casing connected to said fluid conduits, a piston for each valve in the casing, a float in the direct contact condenser, a series of levers connecting the float to the pistons to transmit movement of the float to the pistons and to vary the pressure of the fluid actuating valves constructed and arranged to control the quantity of cooling water supplied to each condenser in accordance with the changes in level of the cooling water in the direct contact condenser.

6. In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having a direct contact condenser and secondary condenser arranged to receive the cooling water in series, a pump to circulate the water, a primary pressure responsive means to control the flow of cooling water to the direct contact condenser, a secondary pressure responsive means to control the flow of cooling water to the secondary condenser, means to supply and vary the pressure of fluid to actuate the primary pressure responsive means and the secondary pressure responsive means respectively, and means to actuate the last said means to vary the fluid pressure in accordance with variations in the level of the cooling water in the direct contact condenser.

7. In a cooling water control mechanism for an organic material processing apparatus having a direct contact condenser and a secondary condenser, a pump to convey cooling water from the direct contact condenser to the secondary condenser, a pressure responsive valve for each condenser to control the flow of cooling Water thereto, conduits to supply fluid to actuate both said valves, a pressure chamber for each condenser associated with the conduits, a piston in the chamber for each condenser, a float in the direct contact condenser, and a series of levers connecting the float and the pistons to enable said float to vary the pressure of the fluid actuating the valve in accordance with the variations of the level of the cooling water in the direct contact condenser.

8. In a cooling water controller for an organic material processing chamber having a primary evacuator to reduce the pressure in the chamber, a direct contact condenser for the primary evacuator, a secondary evacuator to reduce the pressure in the chamber and the direct contact condenser, a secondary condenser for the secondary evacuator, a cooling water tower, a conduit to conduct water to the direct contact condenser, a valve in said conduit, a pump, a conduit from the direct contact condenser to the pump, a conduit from the secondary condenser to the pump, a valve in the last conduit, a float in said direct contact condenser, and a pneumatic device associated with the float and both said valves constructed and arranged to vary the flow of cooling Water in accordance with variations in level of the cooling Water in the direct contact condenser.

9. In a cooling water controller for an organic material processing chamber having an evacuator to reduce the pressure in the chamber, a direct contact condenser for the evacuator,

means to supply cooling water to the condenser,

a valve in said means, a pump, means to convey cooling water from the condenser to the pump, means to conduct cooling water from the pump to the supply means, a valve in the conducting means, a float in the condenser and a pneumatic device associated with the float to control both said valves to regulate the flow of cooling water in accordance with variations of level of the cool-. ing water in the condenser.

FRANK B. DOYLE. 

